Machine for laying concrete



July 19, 1938. w p DAY MACHINE FOR LAYING CONCRETE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed July 6, 1936 -lilltlfir- HF- 1.11:: y I I l l l I l -H dl H-s l II I l I l l n III I 9 M L 6 n W I l l l I I I llhPhHu-llllllll l flvINVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

July 19, 1938. w, P, DAY 2,123,989

MACHINE FOR LAYING CONCRETE Filed July 6, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N N Q MN 1 N {3 N 1*" ,N v v R Q?) h- $7 Q" i fi gfmoaf /M,M4 /in ATTORNEY.

Jul 19, 1938.. w P, AY 2,123,989

I MACHINE FOR LAYING CONCRETE Filed July e, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I aflVENTOR ATTORNEY.

M 19, 1938. I w. P. DAY 2,123 98 MACHINE FOR LAYING CONCRETE Filed July6, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 19, 1938 ATET OFFIE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for laying concrete inroadbeds such as a city street, a highway or a street railway.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor laying concrete whereby a dryer and denser mixture may be laid andthe necessity for tamping eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus forlaying concrete which will cause the concrete to quickly settle and setand which can be carried out in a minimum of time and with a greatsaving in both equipment and labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide. a method of layingconcrete which consists in forming a layer of concrete of predetermined.height and simultaneously applying rapid and violent vibrations to themass while it is being discharged and after it has been discharged ontothe roadbed and at the same time applying vibrations to the surface ofthe concrete whereby to produce a concrete road which will set quicklyand can be opened to traflic in a minimum of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which willpractice the method herein described and which can be produced at aminimum cost.

Further and more limited objects of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds and. by reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich Fig. l is a top plan view of my improved machine for layingconcrete; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View on the line 22 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 isa view of the machine in end elevation; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionalView on the line 55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan Viewdisclosing a modified form of machine adapted for laying concrete forforming roads or highways; Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional "viewdisclosing another modified form of my machine which has meansincorporated therein for delivering to the road a mesh or reinforcinggrid; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine shown in Fig.7 and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly inelevation illustrating the means for directing the grid into themachine.

Referring now to the drawings, the machine consists essentially of aframe made up of oppositely disposed side frame members i and 2 andtransverse members 3 and d. Extending transversely of the machine andparallel with the side members 3 and are a pair of cross members 5 and6. Theframe is adapted to be supported upon suitably mounted wheels I,8, 9 and i0 which are adapted to run upon either the railway track orupon form boards. Carried by the side frame member I are a pair ofangular brackets l i and i2 and carried by the side frame member 2 are apair of brackets i3 and i l. Carried by the frame of the machine andadjustably supported with respect thereto is a bin or hopper I5 whichextends the full width of the road to be laid and which is supportedfrom the brackets H, i2, i3 and M. Carried by the hopper and disposed atopposite sides thereof are four angular brackets iii, i7, i8 and [9which are shown mostly clearly in Fig. 2. Carried by the overhangingportion of each of the brackets H, i2, i3 and I4 is a threaded sleeve 20to the lower end of which is connected a flexible connection 2| having ahead portion 22 disposed below the outwardly projecting portions of thebrackets l6, ll, i8 and is. A look nut 23 provides means for adjustablysupporting the hopper with respect to the frame.

Carried by the hopper and rigidly connected therewith is a strike oifplate or screen 24 the leading edge of which is beveled as shown at 25and disposed within the discharge from the hopper. A reinforcing bar 26extends the full width of the hopper and has its lower end connectedwith the screed 2d and its upper end connected with the hopper. Thehopper has a bottom discharge outlet 2! which extends the full widththereof. The forward portion of the hopper is provide-d with adownwardly depending plate portion 28 which extends the full widththereof and the lower edge of which is adapted to be positioned closelyadjacent the top of the subgrade. This plate portion 28 is provided withopenings 29 and 30 adapted to receive the rails therein when the machineis to be used in laying a roadbed having rails. Secured to the rear faceof the plate portion 28 are a series of outwardly projecting plates 3!,32, 33, (i5, 36, 31, 38, 39, GI,

32 and 43. These plates are disposed within the discharge outlet fromthe hopper and the plates 32, 36, 38 and 42 are disposed above the lowerseries of plates and extend above the leading edge of the screed 24.

Carried by the front side of the plate portion 28 of the hopper are apair of angular brackets 44 and 45 in which is journaled a shaft 46which has nonrotatably secured thereto an eccentrically mounted oroff-center weight 41. Secured to the outer end of the shaft it is apulley t8 the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Mounted on theframe of the machine is a power unit 49 5-5 which preferably is aninternal combustion engine from which leads a shaft 50 on the outer endof which is mounted a pulley 5| which is operatively connected withpulley 48 by means of a belt 52 and drives the shaft 46 which carriesthe eccentrically mounted weight 41. The power unit is also providedwith a lever 53 which operates a suitable clutch and forms a detachabledriving connection with the shaft 50.

The motor is capable of operation at a speed up to about 1800 R. P. M.,and the size of the pulleys 48 and 5| is such that the shaft 46 may bedriven at a speed of from 4000 to 6000 R. P. M. It will thus be seenthat very rapid and very violent vibrations are imparted to the hopperand to the series of vibratory members which are disposed within theoutlet from the hopper. It will be seen that these rapid and violentvibrations are also imparted to the screed or strike-off plate 24 whichis rigidly connected to the hopper l5.

When it is desired to lay a road having railway tracks therein, I firstset up form boards 54 and 55 at opposite sides of the road. The machineis then positioned upon the rails 56 and 5'! with the wheels inengagement therewith. The position of the hopper with respect to theframe of the machine is adjusted so that the lower edge of the plate 28is positioned a slight distance above the top of the subgrade. Thehopper when in operation is kept filled with concrete up to about thelevel shown in Fig. 5. With my machine, I am able to use a very harshconcrete, the consistency of the mix preferably being 1 part cement, 2parts sand and 4 parts coarse aggregate by volume and .from 3 to 4gallons of water per bag of cement.

The vibrations imparted to the hopper and to the screed 24 and thevibratory members which are disposed in the discharge outlet from thehopper facilitate the flow of concrete from the hopper and cause it tosettle rapidly. These vibrations also tend to thoroughly mix theconcrete and to reduce the moisture content thereof. The plate 24 actsas both a vibrating screed and as a strikeoif plate.

At the first operation, the concrete is caused to flow rearwardly underthe vibrating strike-off screed 24 and to be packed thereunder. Themachine is moved over the roadbed by any suitable means in the directionof the arrow in Fig. at the rate of about 1 to 3 feet per minute,depending upon the nature of the concrete and how rapidly the concreteis being fed to the hopper. As the machine is moved forward, the leadingedge of the strike-off screed 24 cuts through the mass of concrete. Thisvibrating screed determines the height of the layer. The concrete may belaid in a continuous operation and the speed of the machine is limitedonly by the speed at which concrete may be fed into the hopper. It willbe seen that rapid and violent vibrations are imparted to the concreteboth above and below the surface thereof while it is being laid and thatvibrations are simultaneously applied to the surface of the layer ofconcrete. With my method and apparatus I am able to use what is known asno slump concrete.

In order to prevent the vibration of the hopper being imparted to theframe of the machine, I have provided a plurality of bumper plates 58,59, 60 and 6| which are mounted on the frame of the machine and areurged against the bar 26 by strong coil springs. These springs tend toinsulate the hopper from the frame of the machine and to reduce thevibration imparted to the frame.

In Fig. 6, I have disclosed a slightly modified form of machine which isparticularly adapted for use in laying roads where no rails are present.This form of machine is identical with that disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5inclusive except that the wheels (only two of which are shown) I and IIIare disposed adjacent one edge of the frame so that they may roll uponthe form boards instead of upon the railway rails and an additionalvibratory member is interposed between the members 33 and 35 and betweenthe members 39 and 4| so that there are six upper vibratory members andseven lower Vibratory members disposed within the discharge outlet fromthe hopper.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 there is disclosed another slightly modified form ofmy machine which is particularly adapted for use in laying roads whereit is desired to incorporate into the road a metal mesh or grid forreinforcing the road. This form of the invention is identical with thatdisclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive except that provision is made forallowing the mesh to pass through the hopper as the machine is movedforward. In this form of the invention, the brackets 44- and 45 arereplaced by smaller brackets 45 which support the shaft 46 which isconnected with the pulley 5| by the belt 52. The front wall of thehopper is provided with a transversely extending slot or opening 6|which extends substantially the full width of the hopper and which is ofsufficient size to permit the mesh 62 to pass therethrough. Also carriedby the front wall of the hopper are a pair of brackets 63 disposed atopposite sides of the hopper and which support a roller 64 which extendssubstantially the full Width of the hopper and which forms a support forthe mesh as it passes through the slot in the front wall of the hopper.In order to reinforce the front wall of the hopper, I provide aplurality of angle irons 28' which are preferably welded to the hopperand serve to connect the upper and lower portions thereof. I haveprovided a lower series of vibrating plates 3| and an upper series ofvibrating plates 32' which are arranged as disposed and preferablywelded to the front wall of the hopper. The upper and lower plates 3 and32 are spaced a slight distance apart as shown most clearly in Fig. 9 soas to permit the mesh to pass therebetween. Disposed between the upperplates 32' and preferably welded to the front wall 28 of the hopper area plurality of somewhat resilient metal plates 65 the lower ends ofwhich are slightly rounded, as shown, and adapted to bear against thetop of the mesh. These plates 65 being rigidly connected with the hopperwhich is vibrated, tend to transmit the vibrations directly to the meshitself so that the mesh as well as the concrete is being vibrated whilebeing laid.

This form of the machine is operated in the same manner as the machinedisclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive and it will be seen that when the"machine is in operation the vibrations will be imparted to the mesh andalso to the concrete while it is being discharged and also to thesurface of the concrete as it is being formed.

It will now be clear that I have provided a. method and apparatus forlaying concrete which will accomplish the objects of the invention ashereinbefore stated. It will of course be understood that theembodiments of the invention herein disclosed are merely illustrativeand are not to be considered in a limiting sense as various changes maybe made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. The invention is thereforelimited only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A machine for laying concrete comprising a wheeled vehicle, a hoppercarried by said vehicle and having a discharge outlet, a memberextending across said hopper and forming one side of the dischargeoutlet and having a series of projections thereon which extendsubstantially across said discharge outlet, a strike off screed beneathwhich the concrete is formed, some of said projections being disposedbelow and others being disposed above the plane of said screed and meansfor imparting rapid and violent vibrations to said screed and to saidprojections.

2. A machine for laying concrete comprising a hopper having a dischargeoutlet, a strike-off screed disposed adjacent said discharge outlet, aplurality of vibratory members disposed within said discharge outlet andbelow said screed, means for directing a reinforcing grid through saiddischarge outlet and means for imparting rapid and violent vibrations tosaid vibratory members and to said grid.

3. A machine for laying concrete comprising a hopper having a. dischargeoutlet, a strike-off screed disposed adjacent said discharge outlet andhaving its forward edge projecting within the discharge outlet, aplurality of vibratory members disposed within said discharge outlet andbelow the plane of said screed, means for directing a reinforcing meshthrough one wall of said hopper and means for imparting rapid andviolent vibrations to said hopper and to said reinforcing mesh.

4. A machine for laying concrete comprising a hopper having a dischargeoutlet, a strike-off screed beneath which the concrete is formed, aseries of vibratory members disposed in the discharge outlet from saidhopper in difierent vertical planes, means for imparting rapid andviolent vibrations to said screed and to said vibratory members, thefront edge of said screed projecting into the discharge outlet from saidhopper adjacent said vibratory members.

WILLIAM P. DAY.

